A New Zealand woman with end-stage kidney disease says she has been told by every medical professional she has spoken to that she should move to Australia to save her life.
Nicole Birch told TVNZ’s You, Me and Aussie special that she needs a kidney transplant, and with a 4% chance of finding a match, she’s heading to Australia for more opportunities.
“I have very high antibodies and I’ve been told, with a deceased donor, that my chance of receiving a donation here in New Zealand would be pretty much zero,” she said.
New Zealanders who can prove they have residence in Australia can access Australian public healthcare.
“Every single medical professional I’ve spoken to, both here and in Brisbane, has told me that I should go,” Birch said.
Her doctors told her she’s more likely to find a match in Australia due to its more diverse ethnic mix.
“It’s a huge upheaval. I will have to pack up 32 years worth of things.
“The cons are obviously missing my children. What I’m going to do with my pets, because I can’t really stand the thought of having to rehome them.”
University of Otago public health physician Gabrielle McDonald said Australia has a wider range of available drugs, while New Zealand has cheaper prescriptions.
“In New Zealand, if your GP gives you a prescription and it's funded by Pharmac, you pay a $5 fee, whereas in Australia, they've just brought it down from $35 to $25.
“So, if you're on a medication long term, that adds up,” she said.
She explains that Australia funds a wider range of medications, such as biologicals and immunotherapy drugs.
“So if you have a cancer, probably your treatment options are better in Australia, but for your more run of the mill or everyday illnesses, it may be New Zealand because of the lower ongoing cost of your standard prescriptions.”
A recent comparison by the Commonwealth Fund showed that Australia came out on top in overall performance rankings, and New Zealand came at around fourth.
“Australians tended to do better for health outcomes, whereas access to care…was rated better in New Zealand and some other things like patient safety and prevention,” said McDonald.
But for Nicole Birch her focus is solely on her need for a transplant and whether that's enough to make the move. "I'll be able to be spontaneous, which is something I really enjoyed doing before," she says.
Watch the Me, You and Aussie special on TVNZ+
SHARE ME